


Emeralds for Teeth (Yet Green Still Means Go)

by Le_kunokimchi



Series: The Scree's a Sea of Purples and Greens [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Ben and Klaus are JUST brothers in this, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Horrance, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves-centric, M/M, Post-Season/Series 02, Pseudo-Incest, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, Sexual Tension, Sparrow Ben goes by Number One, Unreliable Narrator, it's Sparrow Ben and Klaus that are the ship, technically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 07:53:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_kunokimchi/pseuds/Le_kunokimchi
Summary: Klaus smiles sweetly at his ape-like brother, noticing One’s expression turn cautious out of the corner of his eye.“Did you know,” he began, “that the Horrors get a little bloodthirsty while they’re wrapped around your neck?”Everyone’s eyes bugged out of their sockets (except for Luther, bless his dear naive heart) at the lecherous implication they were obviously not expecting to be so nonchalantly rolled off his tongue. “Their keeper does too when your skirt’s pooling over his waist.”One chokes.(A continuation of A Little Birdy Told Me You Were Interested)
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves & Ben Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Luther Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Luther Hargreeves
Series: The Scree's a Sea of Purples and Greens [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912291
Comments: 27
Kudos: 244
Collections: Finished faves





	Emeralds for Teeth (Yet Green Still Means Go)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm back again with more Sparrow Number One and Klaus since everybody seemed to enjoy the last one SO MUCH. This series will be dedicated to their relationship but if you have not read "A Little Birdy Told Me You Were Interested" I highly suggest you do or else a lot of this won't make sense. There are a lot of references to it and everything will be taking place where Chapter 5 left off. 
> 
> This one-shot in particular will be Klaus's POV since we haven't seen a lot of his insights on the matter.  
> ~Enjoyyy

There was something unusually exciting about knowing something no one else does, about being a part of a secret thing that was yours and yours alone. It made you feel so special and important; like you were more than just the family screw-up, more than the self-absorbed asshole that everyone assumed you were. It didn’t pertain to anyone else so they didn’t have to know, didn’t have to judge, didn’t have to  _ try and take it away from you _ . You could just live the moment without worry. You could just enjoy your little secret and be happy because nobody else knew of the opportunity to  _ crush you.  _

The medium was told that he was always going to be alone; he was afraid that he was always going to be forgotten and brushed off. Narcissistic, unreliable, reckless, careless, useless, disappointing, sickening, annoying: he’s been called it all in a number of ways, whether verbally or physically or mentally or emotionally.

Sometimes he believes them, sometimes he wonders why a person such as himself even exists, but sometimes he remembers that he doesn’t care what others think. He doesn’t need anyone to love him, or even  _ like _ him for that matter, to survive; and although it would be nice to have someone slowly close up his wounds with affection and care, to watch his scars fade and build new moments of happiness and smiles, he never thought it would happen.

Again, at least; he and Dave were never supposed to meet and fate ensured that the man would regret ever meddling with time for his own peace of mind and contentment.

But the little girl upstairs made one simple mistake: she  _ assumed  _ she knew Klaus well enough to say that he’d regret the decision because the pain was too bothersome. She couldn’t have been more wrong; he didn’t regret anything precisely  _ because  _ of the pain. 

He lived for pain; it made him strong, it made him learn. Sometimes he doesn’t care enough to  _ use  _ the knowledge, but he still  _ knows  _ when he should never do a particular thing again. Meeting Dave was not one of those things: he learned how much better life could be when you’re not numbing yourself from attachment and feelings. What is it that they say? It’s better to have loved and lost to never have loved at all? It’s true, no matter how cliche and cheesy it is, because you learn from it.

But he thought this knowledge wasn’t all that useful now that the only person who liked him and liked  _ all  _ of him was gone; he thought he wouldn’t get another chance because luck has never been on his side and every time he seemed to gain something, he lost another two. And when he popped up in yet  _ another  _ timeline they didn’t  _ belong  _ in, he was already accepting that his life was  _ so  _ fucked up that this was just the cherry on top. Quite frankly, he shut himself down from reacting to the twists of fate anymore, he doesn’t get to have  _ anything _ so why try to gain something? Why fight the cruel path laid before him? He’ll let it wash over him in a wave and just accept that he may never come back from the depths of the sea again.

But here he is: laying in bed, an oversized t-shirt covering his thin frame, with another warm body next to him that, for once, wasn’t some mindless hook-up or one-time fling.

Number One laid on his good side, his arms folded beneath his head on the pillow as he breathed out gentle snores. The blanket was pulled up to his mid-torso, his muscular tan shoulders on display and coal-colored hair falling into one of his eyes. The scar on the side of his face didn’t appear as intimidating in the soft light of the rising sun that filtered in through the black blinds of his window. He looked almost cuddly and mushy when he was sleeping: the tough, fearless leader facade slipping through his fingers like sand the deeper into slumber he went.

He was a different person behind closed doors, behind the many faces looking up to him for guidance and example. He let his guard down and allowed himself the vulnerability. He was still pretty demanding and rude, but the medium knew that it came from a place within him where he doubted his significance in the world and feared letting people in too close to where they could see his weaknesses. He didn’t want to be hurt and betrayed; he didn’t want that small smidge of doubt to bloom at the proof that he wasn’t as mighty as he was supposed to be. He didn’t want to be the fool in the situation, he couldn’t  _ afford  _ it; leaders shouldn’t have to doubt their  _ ability _ to lead, they shouldn’t have to sit and fester with thoughts of how gullible and easily attached they’ve become. 

In this way, they could be seen as similar. The medium  _ also  _ didn’t want to be hurt and betrayed by those closest to him; so he just made sure they didn’t get close. He built a wall around himself of flippancy and facetiousness that selfishly kept all others from ever seeing more than he wanted them to. Only Ben could manage to crack that wall but as they got older, as they grew more and more  _ stuck  _ with each other, he stopped trying; and while it hurt that he finally pushed the one person who cared about him away, he knew that it was bound to happen eventually. 

He lost Dave, twice. He lost Ben, twice. Second chances don’t come easily. Third chances are even more of a scarcity. But then he got a package deal; he got a two in one; he got to kill two birds with one stone. He lost his home, he lost his brother, he lost his lover, he lost his mother and Pogo and brother-in-law and cult… but he got a person that filled the void his brother left behind with a similar face, voice and, at rare times, humor; he got a person that filled the void his lover left behind with genuine lust (maybe affection, dare he say) and mediocre dancing skills. Two voids filled in by one person, two necessities (a shoulder to lean on, and a good dick to use) supplied by one person; he was his spork.

And he has gotten quite attached to him and his additional family of super weirdos.

This timeline was not too bad with them there. One actually  _ wanted  _ him, One actually  _ valued  _ him; it has been a while since he has felt anything along the lines of intimacy. He frickin killed a bunch of baddies for One after telling himself that his crime-fighting days were over; he danced with him and hugged him and kissed him and, well, stole his thirty-year-long virginity. And he didn’t do that for most, he was not the kindest or most altruistic of persons; he was not generous by any means. But there was something here, between them, that he couldn’t deny; he wasn’t sure if he could call it love. Love takes time and so he feels that he cannot label it that after only knowing him for a month and three weeks. 

But there was _something._ Something strange that makes him want to scream and rip his heart out; something that makes him want to cry; something that makes him want to smile and blush and gush over and laugh; something that he wants to hold onto with two hands for the rest of his life because it is the most joyful, crazy, depressing, frustrating thing that he has ever experienced in his entire life. Maybe it was the fetus for love that, with nine months of nurturement and care and _lots_ of intense sex like last night, could grow into the real deal _amor._ Love, after all, was not completely about the happiness and kisses; it was about the rough shit too, it was about staying together and _still_ loving after hardships and the test of time. _That’s_ what sets it apart from liking. And _that’s_ what he’ll remain patient for; you can never be too sure. 

There was a small popping noise as he stretched his arms above his head. He’s been up for a while now, sitting there admiring the sleeping form of Birdy or just contemplating life. He has never been much of an early riser (once he’s out, he’s  _ out _ ), but most nights he is lucky to get four hours max of peaceful slumber. Sometimes it’s because of the overwhelming flashbacks and night terrors; other times, it’s because the ghosts get to be too loud to dismiss with his powers. Times like these, though, are because he has got a lot on his mind. And when his mind is racing and he’s bombarded by thoughts that make him anxious, he needs a distraction. And since One’s face is the epitome of serenity, he dug around in the man’s nightstand for the pack of cigarettes he knew was most definitely in there. He had a knack for finding things he wasn’t supposed to.

He snatched the lighter that was left on the dresser and made his way over to the window, pulling up the blinds and throwing it open as he took a seat on the sill. He lights the cigarette and releases a content sigh at the sweet feeling of nicotine filling his lungs. It has been a while since he’s done anything more than drink; his liver was thankful for the change but his lungs probably weren’t. Oh well, you can’t please everybody. And, besides, cigarettes after sex were a must. 

A slight breeze drifts through the room, ruffling his curls and carrying away the gray of his smokey exhale. It had to be about five in the morning now, pale purple and yellow streaks beginning to cut through the blanket of twilight covering the sky. They were expected to be up in two hours or so, Grace having breakfast ready by seven-thirty exactly. He didn’t typically eat breakfast but, as of recently, he’s been enjoying a warm cup of coffee early in the morning. Sir Reginald still didn’t support the consumption of caffeine but Five had insisted that they were getting a coffee maker whether he liked it or not (it wasn’t until after the stand-off that the Sparrows decided to share that they had a coffee maker hidden from their father that they’ve been using since they were seventeen). Their ‘rebelliousness’ was cute; if the roles were switched, it would probably be Klaus telling them that he had drugs hidden away.

It would be best to leave, to head back to his room before the others awakened. One would most likely be mad but there was also the possibility of him kicking the medium out before the others got up anyways. He kind of felt like he was having to ditch a one-night stand but who knows how they will act if they found out that their suspicions became true. He didn’t even want to think about the kind of hell One would get; Klaus didn’t tend to make the best of impressions on people. And what if Reginald found out? The medium would be kicked out for sure; all of his siblings would be on board with the decision since they know the kind of reputation he has with intimate partners. They all knew the artificial relationships (if you could even call them that), only Diego and Allison being aware of the love he felt for Dave. But it was clear that Diego didn’t think Klaus could handle something  _ real _ ; he’d probably go up to Number One the first chance he got just to spill all of his horrish secrets and shameful past habits. Allison would try to be supportive but she was, once again, a lovely actor; lying and manipulating were in her nature even without the assistance of her powers. It’s not that he himself cares about what they think (they assume the worst of him more often than not), but he just didn’t want to become a burden and a distraction to the beloved Number One; he had a far more important role to play in the family dynamics than the medium ever did.

So although it was kind of fucked up to sneak out while he’s sleeping, it was in his best interest. 

He stubs the cigarette on the outer wall of the house, gently closing the window to keep a draft from blowing in. He rummaged around on the floor for his things before changing out of One’s t-shirt and throwing his clothes on. He folds the shirt nicely on the dresser but then decides against giving it back and snatches it up. He tiptoes to the door but then stops, reluctantly looking back at the still sleeping form on the bed. With a short sigh, he wanders over to pull the blanket farther up One’s body and, while on the spur of the moment, places a butterfly-like kiss to his temple before returning to the door. 

"That bad, huh?"

Klaus freezes, internally groaning at the cursed timing of it all. Luck will never be on his side. 

He lowers the hand that was reaching for the handle, smiling wryly to himself. “It was far from the worst,” he teased lightly, starting to feel a little guilty after being caught in the act.

A gruff reply of “But not good enough to make you stay,” came without hesitation, the stirring noise that followed most definitely being One sitting up to look at him.

The medium frowned and whipped around to whine, “Hey, now that’s not fair.”

The man’s expression remained sympatheticless, peering at him with cold eyes. “What’s not fair? The fact that you used me and then are leaving or is it because I’m calling you out on it?”

This time, a longer sigh escaped him, rubbing his temples with the ring finger and thumb of one hand. He marched over to the bed and crawled on top of One, straddling his hips as he said, “It’s not like that.”

The man refused to look at him, stubbornly crossing his arms over his chest. Klaus smiled fondly as his pouting behavior, cupping either side of his face with cold pale hands and forcing him to meet his eyes. “It’s not,” he repeated.

One scowled, pulling them off his face but not letting go of his palms either. “Then what is it like?” 

“I’m…” he looks down at his lap bashfully, the dry expression twisting onto his face again, “I’m not the best to be seen with.”

The man opens his mouth to protest but Klaus tacks on, “Like this, at least.”

At that, One’s expression softens and he leans forward to rest his head against the crook of Klaus’s neck. He lowered their clasped hands, his thumb rubbing over the medium’s knuckles.

“Just stay,” One mumbles, “Let them think what they want; I don’t care.”

Klaus’s heart melts at his gentleness, almost wanting to laugh at how tender he could be when he wanted to. The duality was fascinating; he couldn’t believe that One was just angry at him a few moments ago. 

“I don’t want people to give you a hard time; I bet they don’t even know you’re into guys-”

One scoffs against his skin. “Trust me: they know. They’ve been teasing me about us for weeks now.”

_ Us? _ That sounded promising. The medium smiles. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, Allison threatened to make me regret my birth if I broke your heart and I think Leigh knows everything because of his powers.”

“Would Leigh… have known about last night from one of his little ‘future visions’?”

It was quiet for a few moments, both of them taking in the gravity of that question.

“Oh shit,” One breathed.

“Oh shit, indeed.”

He felt One’s nose wrinkle, “Do you think he… Fuck; no wonder he told me to go get you.”

Klaus huffed a laugh with a shake of his head. “That sly gaybie was playing cupid. I guess he enjoyed the show.”

“I am beyond uncomfortable with how  _ ok _ you are with that.”

“Well, we can’t exactly do anything about it unless you want to stop whatever this is right now-”

“I definitely never said that-”

“Then suck it up, buttercup,” the medium then lowered his voice to a sultry whisper and glanced down at the head still nestled against his neck, “We’ll just have to start doing it under the covers.”

The man inhaled sharply, wiggling a little closer to Klaus. “Already thinking about the next time, hm?” 

He smirked. “Why? Are you?” 

One’s teeth grazed his pulse as he muttered, “I’m  _ always  _ thinking about it.”

The medium shifted, trying not to seem overly aroused; that line was so  _ hot  _ and tempting but he honestly didn’t feel like taking his clothes off again. And since everyone was asleep in their rooms at the moment (and having to be awake in less than two hours), there was no guarantee that they could keep quiet enough to not attract some unwanted listeners (Klaus alone was very vocal and it seemed even being choked with a tentacle didn’t do much to smother the sinful noises). 

“So bold now, Birdy,” he cooed, “But I think we should keep this a secret for a little while.”

“Why?” One asked, a small but noticeable whine to his voice, “What have they said to you?”

“Diego accused me of trying to seduce you,” he said, leaning some of his weight against One’s chest while still being cautious of his bruising. “He said that he respects you and that I shouldn’t  _ mess _ with your feelings.”

“But you aren’t-”

“I’m seen as such an  _ embarrassment  _ to my siblings. ‘Oh please ignore my slutty pansexual brother, he doesn’t think about his actions and how they may affect people’; just wait until you see the look of horror on their faces when they find out.”

“Well, Diego’s stupid; it’s not your fault that you’re sexy,” One grumbles, placing a lazy kiss to his neck that was more tongue than lips, “I happen to like their slutty pansexual brother and if they got a problem with it, they can go right back to the ’60s for all I care.” 

“Am I really too much for you?” Klaus sniggers as he lets go of his hands to wrap them around those sculpted shoulders. One's fingers found their way to the medium's hip-bones. “All we’re doing is sitting here talking about feelings and you’re already wanting to go for round two.”

“I think it’s the skirt,” he murmurs between another suckle on the medium’s pulse. The circles he was drawing on his hips with those thumbs were oh so distracting. "The flowers are like those black and white hypnosis swirls."

"Well close your eyes, then. We can't-" Klaus's breath hitched as One nipped at his pale skin, sucking greedily on the mark before pulling away with a wet pop. 

The man looked up at Klaus coyly with those dark chocolate eyes. The medium peered at him through hooded lashes, his lips parted as his breaths became a little haggard. He doesn't know how long his resolve will last if One keeps doing stuff like  _ that _ . 

_ So demanding _ , he tsked.

"I wouldn't do that again if I were you," he warned lustfully, his long fingers finding purchase in One's black hair. 

"The little sucker-cup marks on your neck are cute," the man says with a simper, "I thought I should add one of my own."

A moan vibrates in Klaus's throat, tugging One's head back so their lips could meet. 

They shared a heated kiss with much too many teeth clashing and tongue entanglement to be considered  _ sweet  _ and  _ innocent _ . One’s thumbs pressed a little harder into the hollow of his hips as Klaus sucked in his bottom lip, hands running through his dark hair unchecked. Klaus doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to the intensity between each one of their kisses; it was electrifying and easily the greatest high he has ever experienced. 

"These are going to be impossible to cover up," he pointed out as One pushed him back onto the mattress and climbed on top of his sprawled out form.

"That's not my problem: you're the one who wants to keep it a secret," the man replied huskily, a smirk adorning his features as he places light kisses along Klaus's jaw.

The medium squirms beneath him, pulling his locks sharply as One’s hungry lips found the skin of his neck again.

He whined breathily, “We shouldn’t,” just as the man’s hands began to slide up his sides, pulling his shirt as he went. 

One stops and hovers over him with the faintest look of concern. His eyes were seeking approval and that made Klaus’s resolve crumble a teeny bit more because he wasn’t going to  _ force  _ him and wasn’t that just about the  _ sweetest  _ thing ever?

A soft smile spreads across his lips. "B-But maybe we could make out for a little while," he compromises.

<~>

There was some unspoken tension at the dinner table, Klaus humming as he ate despite the suffocating awkwardness. 

The worst part was probably the fact that he  _ knew _ everybody had something to say (Allison got close to breaking the silence a few times) yet no one dared utter what was clearly on their minds. The medium enjoyed the suffering that they all must be enduring just to keep their gnawing curiosity at bay (and was secretly impressed since he was one to typically surrender to such impulses); although he could tell that One was getting irritated (the needy man-child really didn’t like it when people didn’t speak their mind; especially if the topic pertained to  _ him  _ in particular). 

Reginald has been gone for about ten minutes already so this was a new record; everybody had already finished eating from the zero need to pause for conversing purposes. The medium was the only one still working on his plate of food due to his throat being a little sore (it was fine as long as he chewed it into _very_ _small_ pieces).

One sipped his water smugly as he took notice of Klaus’s labored swallowing effort; he subtly winked and the medium just rolled his eyes in response.

Surprisingly, it was Luther to finally shatter the quiet in the worst way possible. “Klaus, what happened to your neck?”

Internally, he groaned in annoyance. He told  _ him _ that he wasn’t going to be able to cover them up; he told  _ him _ that somebody was going to mention it; he told  _ him _ that he wanted to keep it a fucking  _ secret _ for a while and did he listen? NO. 

The cheeky tentacle bastard fought a smirk as he brought the glass of water back to his lips. 

That fucking asshole was going to put this all on him, eh? _He_ thinks that this _isn’t_ _his_ problem to deal with because _he isn’t_ the one under the spotlight? One is probably waiting for whatever stupid excuse or lie the medium was going to utter to cover up the fact that his neck is littered with frickin suction-cup marks and hickeys.

Well  _ fine _ , two can play at that game; he shall not suffer alone.

And One was going to learn the hard way that when the Seance wants to keep something a secret, YOU KEEP IT A FUCKING SECRET because the shame that typically followed  _ brutal honesty  _ was virtually  _ nonexistent _ to him when compared to the tremendous amount of  _ satisfaction _ that followed making others  _ so uncomfortable and embarrassed  _ that they wished they could hide in a hole for the  _ rest _ of their lives.

Klaus smiles sweetly at his ape-like brother, noticing One’s expression turn cautious out of the corner of his eye. 

“Did you know,” he began, “that the Horrors get a little bloodthirsty while they’re wrapped around your neck?” Everyone’s eyes bugged out of their sockets (except for Luther, bless his dear naive heart) at the lecherous implication they were obviously  _ not _ expecting to be so nonchalantly rolled off his tongue. “Their keeper does too when your skirt’s pooling over his waist.”

One chokes.

A flash of unamusement crosses Luther’s face, clearly missing the sexual undertone to what he just confessed as he asked, “What did you do to piss him off this time?”

Klaus grins wickedly and immediately everybody goes rigid in anticipation. “Well, Luther dear, after a little birdy told me he was interested in shutting me up with a dick down my throat instead of up my ass (and you know how I have a bad habit of not closing my mouth when I’m supposed to), I told him that he was going to have to stop touching me like a virgin first and then peek-a-boo! Out came his tentacle friends.”

Klaus leans back in his chair as water sputters out all over the table.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact 1: the title of this one-shot was a reference to chapter 5 (only the real ones will get it *cough cough* -when One is describing what may be at the bottom of the cliff)
> 
> Fun fact 2: A "scree" is what the bottom of a cliff is called. See what I did there? Green? Purple? Haaa aren't I clever *bashes head onto keyboard*
> 
> Fun fact 3: I changed the writing style a little bit since this is Klaus's POV. If you could tell, the analogies and metaphors made weren't as poetic and thoughtful like One's were. Like Klaus literally compared him to a spork while One compared him to "the brightest of stars" or "forbidden fruit". Klaus was also blunter and more explicit with his language choices and tended to swear more in his head while One did out loud. Sorry to those of you that love Birdy but we don't see much of Klaus's feelings and thoughts in the last one so I thought I should touch up on that.  
> There will be more Birdy and Klaus POVs in the future and maybe even some other character's. :)
> 
> I hope you liked it and don't be hesitant to leave some feedback; I'll always read them and reply


End file.
